Sorry but I have Grand Luxxe Questions

[csalter2]

I have a reservation through Interval International for a Grand Luxxe 2 bedroom unit at Nuevo Vallarta for August 2020. My unit number on the reservation says, MVilla. I am not sure what this means. I understand there are a variety of 2 bedroom types in the Grand Luxxe brand. There seem to be lofts, presidential, villas and master suites. Is there a big difference with the different types of units? From my reservation number is there a way for me to know what I will get? There is a $630 fee. Is that the actual resort fee or are there other charges? Is the $630 considered reasonable?

I also can make a reservation for the same resort through Diamond Resorts as Grand Luxxe is an affiliate of Diamond’s. I have access to a 2 bedroom Grand Luxxe with them. However, it’s only $75 but I am using more money in points from Diamond where I have the Interval International reservation from Marriott for free except for the resort fee.

I have seen the Grand Luxxe units in Cancun at the Riviera Mayan resorts and they were very nice. Are the ones at Nuevo Vallarta just as nice? My Interval reservation states that i will have a whirlpool in each bathroom, a bar size refrigerator and a 11 cu. ft. Refrigerator. It also says that the unit will have a full size stove, but then it says there will be burners instead of a stove. Which is it?

Are the restaurants expensive? I have heard there are meal plans. Are they worth it? Does anyone know the costs for them? I have a 7 year old and my wife going with me. I would like to have a heads up.

I am just trying to make a decision as to what I am getting. If it’s like what I saw at the Riviera Maya, then I will be happy. If it’s not, then I will stay elsewhere.

 

[Eric B]

MVilla would be a Grand Luxxe Master Villa, which is 2 BR and about 3,400 sq ft, IIRC. You can find a floor plan and some details on the Vidanta.com site by going to to the part of the site for NV and following the links for rooms and suites, the Grand Luxxe, etc. It would not have a wall oven; those don’t start until the loft units. It will have a 4-burner cooktop, a microwave, coffee maker, toaster, blender, Nespresso espresso maker, and possibly a large toaster-oven style portable oven you can cook in (not really a toaster-oven, but a portable electric oven - not in all of the GL units I’ve stayed in).

If you do the regular GL 2 BR through Diamond, it would most likely be a Grand Luxxe suite. Kitchen is about the same, the rest of the unit would be similar to the Villa but smaller (~2,500 sq ft). The units are quite similar in both NV and RM, but they build higher in NV so there are better views.

There are fairly significant differences between the different unit types at Grand Luxxe; you can find info on most at the Vidanta web site. They do have a meal plan in NV, though I don’t recall the cost. Otherwise the restaurant costs are high for the location, but on par with U.S. restaurant costs.

The $630 resort fee is most of the costs; you’ll also have a local tax that isn’t too significant. Best bet is to read up on Vidanta here before you go to understand the place. Happy to answer any specific questions for you.

E

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

1) Units at Nuevo are just as nice as those at RM
buildings in Nuevo are taller .There are 7+ GL buildings at Vidanta NV.
Someone with more specific unit knowledge can tell you what the code MVilla will get you.
(Eric B - who posted while I was typing - )

2) NV Resort has many restaurants . Charges go to your wrist band / room key.
most units do not have a full oven unit / trust me - you won’t need one .

3) Resort fee is $630 based on bedrooms .
resort fee is “reasonable “ based on total cost of exchanges (II - RCI etc).
These are developer deposits - so Vidanta gets very little $ from the exchange company .
The resort fee is basically to cover their “hotel operations “ overhead . The reasonable total cost is to get you there ,
in part - because they hope to convince you to go to a sales presentation & buy .

4) there are 2 kids clubs - one at GL / one at GM
the lazy river is near the (5) Grand Mayan buildings .

5) the meal plans work on a coupon system .
Some couples will purchase one and have the 2nd person order ala carte / then share the desert etc.
You will not likely need 3 if you decide to buy them .
I believe they are purchased through the concierge ( who is part of “hotel operations / not Vida sales ).

6) Unless you really enjoy sales presentations - be polite to the person who assigns the room
and say no thank you . The 90 minutes is in the sales room . That plus the good breakfast and tour
will cost you a full morning .

7) Please tip housekeeping and others / it is an important part of their income .
Also - please fill out the I-pad review information at check out and be very fair . That is even more important to staff.

8) If you wish to go off resort - NV is probably easier than RM . Lots to do in Puerto Vallarta
and lots of good restaurants . Buscarias is a close by town with beach & restaurants .

 

[pittle]

The 2 bedroom GL Villa has a sitting room on the Studio Side with a small deck off of it.

The regular 2-bedroom does not have the sitting room.

In both units, the dipping pool on the deck is outside the Master Bedroom door.

We have the regular 2-Bedroom and like it quite a lot. These units are in the middle areas if the buildings. The Villa units are larger and always the end units.

 

[csalter2]

MVilla would be a Grand Luxxe Master Villa, which is 2 BR and about 3,400 sq ft, IIRC. You can find a floor plan and some details on the Vidanta.com site by going to to the part of the site for NV and following the links for rooms and suites, the Grand Luxxe, etc. It would not have a wall oven; those don’t start until the loft units. It will have a 4-burner cooktop, a microwave, coffee maker, toaster, blender, Nespresso espresso maker, and possibly a large toaster-oven style portable oven you can cook in (not really a toaster-oven, but a portable electric oven - not in all of the GL units I’ve stayed in).

If you do the regular GL 2 BR through Diamond, it would most likely be a Grand Luxxe suite. Kitchen is about the same, the rest of the unit would be similar to the Villa but smaller (~2,500 sq ft). The units are quite similar in both NV and RM, but they build higher in NV so there are better views.

There are fairly significant differences between the different unit types at Grand Luxxe; you can find info on most at the Vidanta web site. They do have a meal plan in NV, though I don’t recall the cost. Otherwise the restaurant costs are high for the location, but on par with U.S. restaurant costs.

The $630 resort fee is most of the costs; you’ll also have a local tax that isn’t too significant. Best bet is to read up on Vidanta here before you go to understand the place. Happy to answer any specific questions for you.

E

Will they honor what is on the Interval International confirmation or could I be assigned to another unit? Do most units have ocean views?

 

[pittle]

The GL units are on the center right side of this picture along the river. As you can see, they are perpendicular to the ocean. Units that are on the upper levels can see the ocean. They generally honor the unit in the reservation. BUT, with an exchange, you will most likely get a lower floor. Since you will be there in August, you will have a better chance to get one of the higher level units.

 

[zentraveler]

[QUOTE=

6) Unless you really enjoy sales presentations - be polite to the person who assigns the room
and say no thank you . The 90 minutes is in the sales room . That plus the good breakfast and tour
will cost you a full morning .

7) Please tip housekeeping and others / it is an important part of their income .
Also - please fill out the I-pad review information at check out and be very fair . That is even more important to staff.

 

[zentraveler]

I would strongly advise not agreeing to a sales presentation. Yes, you will get a nice breakfast, but whatever you were promised at check in will be so not the worth the heap of aggravation you will get after that, and not worth a good portion of one of your vacation days. The check in folks will really pressure you, but just keep saying no and you get the week to yourself - that you have paid for and traveled to. The 90 minute time does start after you get to the sales room, but they will never let you out in only 90 minutes, no matter what they say (these check in people are different than the sales dept) if you have not bought something. They will keep you there until you try to walk out, essentially, and even then they will hand you off to other people ,in the guise of finishing your obligation, who are trained to provide even more pressure. They are paid not to take not for an answer and since you are there on a developer deposit you are there because then intend to sign you up.

Your very best bet is to politely, but firmly and repeatedly say no, which is what it will take, (and they too will send in a more senior person to "persuade" you). We have been there a few times on II weeks and have twice done the sales presentations (the second time because my husband really wanted the room they offered us, and I gave in) and they could offer me the moon and I would never do one again. The year we just said no was the best year we spent there and loved the room we had. Yes, it was a lower floor, but we looked out at foliage and the walking path and had plenty of ocean every time we left the room.

And I agree about tipping the staff and filling out the eval. They will make your week wonderful and are grateful and so pleasant.[/QUOTE]

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Will they honor what is on the Interval International confirmation or could I be assigned to another unit? Do most units have ocean views?

[QUOTE

6) Unless you really enjoy sales presentations - be polite to the person who assigns the room
and say no thank you . ......[/QUOTE]

*******

FYI- the moment you ask about ocean view — you are giving an “opening “ to the person who’s job it is to convince you to go to the sales presentation / while “assigning” rooms . That person works for the Vida Sales arm of Vidanta .
(The front desk - check in folks work for the “ hotel” side.)

My suggestion is be pleasant , do the chit-chat & then take the assigned suite number with no comment - say thank you - and go the elevator . Should you truly hate the room location - you can always go back and sign up for a sales presentation.

Zentraveller’s comments reflect the “afterglow “ of many who have done the “90 minute “ Vida Sales Presentation .

 

[zentraveler]

[QUOTE
My suggestion is be pleasant , do the chit-chat & then take the assigned suite number with no comment - say thank you - and go the elevator . Should you truly hate the room location - you can always go back and sign up for a sales presentation.

Completely agree. Do not offer reasons or excuses; they are trained to have a comeback for anything you can possibly think of. They will try to make you feel like this will take a simple 90 minutes of your vacation in exchange for a fabulous room (I didn't even like the one I finally relented for at the last visit) and that somehow you are being rude by not agreeing to this. Just politely decline, tell them it has been a long travel day (they are all long no matter where you have come from) and you would like to go to your room. One year we finally told them we would think about it and then we just didn't answer the phone, but the less said the better. They will give up.

 

[pittle]

Yes - we unplug all the phones the first day. We do not expect any calls as family will call or text us on our cell phone if they need us. We put our home landline # on the registration form.

 

[Flasher42]

We arrived yesterday GL NV. 3 bedroom spa Gorgeous!,
First Lady Katie presents out welcome drinks, I expressed on the spot that we are not attending the presentation. She was very polite, retrieving our drinks,
Another timeshare shark approached us. Very nice woman, with a shake of my head and sip of drink I told her we didn’t want to waste her time ,
She politely pointed out some interesting things that have changed,( said presentation was nothing like it use to be NO stress) We didn’t bite. her final offer to attend the breakfast and that was it. Maybe 7-10 minutes and we were off to our wonderful room.
No one felt dirty or rude, actually we have passed her a time or two she is very polite!
Beautiful place, venturing to Azure tonight and maybe lazy river tomorrow.
Any questions I can check out for you?

 

[CatJ114683]

I just found this, after posting a Q on another tag. To recap, we are trading in also through II, but at the end of April. Our confirmation is for a Friday to Friday 2b/2b MVILLA with the disconcerting disclaimer that the room you get might not be the one indicated. We are much to old now to even consider additional time shares at this point in our lives and am grateful for the info on being polite and firm about refusing the presentation pressures. I do have a question on check out. Our flight out is later in the day. Will they permit you to check out and stay on property or do they request that once you are checked out you leave? Thanks for all this relevant and up to date information! We are not adventurous by nature and this is a step out of our comfort zone so I want to be sure we are as well educated as possible

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

....". I do have a question on check out. Our flight out is later in the day. Will they permit you to check out and stay on property or do they request that once you are checked out you leave? Thanks for all this relevant and up to date information! We are not adventurous by nature and this is a step out of our comfort zone so I want to be sure we are as well educated as possible

You can definitely stay on the property and leave your luggage with the bell staff .

********

PS- inbound transportation is free . {this is in part due to the TS shark tank as you exit customs at the airport (Puerto Vallarta or Cancun) }
You should have an email contact to send your flight number & arrival time / you can do this the week prior to your vacation.

You pay the cab fare back to the airport ..

 

[HudsHut]

For dinner, you may use one coupon and split your meal with the other person. At restaurants which do not have a kids menu, the item ordered for the child is 1/2 price. Since breakfast is a buffet, each adult must use a coupon; you may be able to pay for the child's buffet separately.
The meal plan we selected contained 6 coupons for dinner and 6 for breakfast. We used 2 coupons at dinner for the 3 of us - went to 3 of the nice restaurants (Italian, French and Quinto). We went to breakfast buffet twice, using one coupon for each of the 3 of us. We went late, around 11, so that it became "brunch" for us.

Most entrees on the menus are included with the coupon - they'll tell you if anything is excluded (e.g. surf & turf).

I posted some menus here:
https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/grand-luxxe-nuevo-vallarta-menu-prices.258574/